Dragon's Horde says: The End

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October 19, 2009

BY MIKE HELENTHAL The Commercial-News Mon Oct 19, 2009, 09:30 PM CDT

DANVILLE — A longtime Danville used bookstore won’t write a happy ending.

Dragon’s Horde, known for years as Book World, announced this week it will close its downtown location for good Nov. 20.

“The economy, the recession — everything,” said five-year owner Richard Garrison in explaining his reason for closing. “People just aren’t buying comics or books. It’s just the way it goes.”

The store has had three owners during 29 years and moved from a Bowman Avenue location to a downtown storefront after Garrison took over. A downtown fire last year forced him to move to the current location, 101 N. Vermilion, where he decided to change the business name.

He said the fire had nothing to due with the closing.

“When the fire was done with, we were actually pretty busy,” he said. “When it started to slow down we decided we really should be looking at the (business) books more closely. I hated to do it.”

Garrison’s store will sell items at a discounted rate in the coming month, with most items going for $1 to reduce inven-tory. He said he will turn his professional focus to his artwork.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and enjoyed the customers,” he said. “There was already a customer base, so all I really had to do was open the door. A lot of them became my friends.”

The store is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Tuesdays, and Saturdays noon to 5 p.m.

“Everybody can come in and get a good deal before we go,” he said.

Dana Schaumburg, executive director of Downtown Danville Inc., said Garrison’s store will be sorely missed.

“It’s sad to see this business leave downtown,” she said. “We hate to see them go.”

But Schaumburg said she is buoyed by recent indications there might soon be new storefront development elsewhere in the downtown district. She said her office has received a recent flurry of interest in retail space.

“We’ve seen an upswing,” she said.

Not only that, but more than one downtown space has been redeveloped and recently put back on the market, giving potential shopkeepers more location choices.

“We’ve had a few spaces that weren’t ready for lease last year that are now ready,” she said, adding DDI has already shown the properties to prospects. “We have both small and larger space available. Hopefully we’ll have some announcements soon and get some of these filled before the Christmas season.”

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